Vegan Tex-Mex Cabbage Casserole! Nothing more comforting than a warm casserole brimming with plant goodness.

Hearty, wholesome, and oh-so-satisfying, this oil-free Vegan Tex-Mex Cabbage Casserole is loaded with irresistible Tex-Mex flavors and nourishing veggies.  Crispy crushed corn tortillas line the top and bottom of this oh-so-dreamy casserole. It’s absolutely perfect twist for a gather-round-the-table weekend meal.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

As most of our Readers know by now, we are HUGE Tex-Mex fans.  We love those tasty Southwestern flavors.  We are always looking for new ways to create any type of Tex-Mex recipe.

This one kind of spun out of another dish that we have in the hopper that is coming out soon.  We were like “Oh goodness, we need to twist this slightly and make it Tex-Mex.”

This fun casserole creates a delicious bottom layer of tortillas that have soaked up the juice and spices creating an almost enchilada/tamale texture and taste. It’s my favorite part – YUM!

Dad at it up like a champ!  He loved it!  He just got his yearly physical numbers back from his doctor. And guess what?  His numbers are the best he has ever had in his entire life. He told his doctor that he owed it all to being Whole Food Plant Based. YAYYYY DAD!!!

Tips for Success:

• Thinly Sliced Cabbage: We used about ½ head of a medium cabbage.  We sliced the cabbage by cutting it into very thin long strips.  You can use a slaw mix, but the experience is a little different.  There is just something about those thin long strips of cabbage that really works.  Make sure you pick out any tough pieces and thicker veins.
• Cabbage tenderness: Cutting the cabbage into thin strips allows the cabbage to cook faster.  We enjoyed a tender cabbage for this recipe.  Placing the lid on the pan when you add the sliced cabbage along with the vegetable broth and water enhances the cooking process. You may wish to sift through the sliced cabbage looking for thicker veins and slice the them down to allow the cabbage to cook evenly.
• Low-Fat Dish: This dish was designed to be lower in fat.  Because it is lower in fat, you are not going to experience that endorphin rush associated with eating high-fat foods when eating this dish. It is very delicious for what it is, and that is a low-fat dish. We just want to make sure that our Readers recognize this when contemplating making this recipe.
• Peanut Butter: You cannot taste the peanut butter in this dish. We added it just to bring a small amount of fat to the dish and to create another level of flavor.  The peanut butter is optional. You can easily replace with another nut/seed butter.
• Enchilada Sauce: We used our Enchilada Sauce when making this dish.  Feel free to use your favorite enchilada sauce or store purchased enchilada sauce.  If using store bought enchilada sauce, make sure you select a “mild” enchilada sauce.
• Corn Tortillas: About 8 – 6inch tortillas. Be sure to use crispy corn tortillas when making this dish. You can (oil-free) bake them in the oven prior to create a crispy tortilla.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered container.  Reheating can be done on the oven, or in the microwave.

This dish can be frozen; however, it is best if served immediately after making or after refrigerating leftovers.  If freezing, for best results, thaw overnight in the fridge.

Pantry Products Used:

• Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
• Chili Powder: We used Penzeys Regular Chili Powder.  It has great flavor, with a tiny kick that is not overwhelming.  Feel free to use your favorite chili powder, just be sure to select a mild one and not one that has a lot of heat to it.

Kitchen Products Used:

• Large ceramic/enamel lined Dutch oven, skillet, or similar large stock pot (tight fitting lid is optional)
• Deep 9 x 13 casserole dish

We certainly hope you give this deliciousness a try.

If you try this delicious casserole, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us!  We would love to hear from you.

Vegan Tex-Mex Cabbage Casserole

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 35 Minutes
• Cook Time: 25 Minutes
• Total Time: 60 Minutes
• Yield: 6-8 Servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop, Oven
• Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
• Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

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Description

Hearty, wholesome, and oh-so-satisfying, this oil-free Vegan Tex-Mex Cabbage Casserole is loaded with irresistible Tex-Mex flavors and nourishing veggies.

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Ingredients

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Base Ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
• 1 jalapeno, small dice
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 8 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced *
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth *
• ½ cup water

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup enchilada sauce (10 oz.) *
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth *
• 1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter *
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

Sauce Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions
• 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder *
• ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) *

Other Ingredients:

• 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] corn, drained
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 2 ½ cups crushed corn tortillas, divided

Optional Toppings:

• Pickled jalapeno slices
• Avocado chunks
• Fresh cilantro

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Place the Sauce Spice/Herb Ingredients into a small bowl, mix well to combine, set aside.
3. In a large ceramic/enamel lined skillet, Dutch oven, or non-stick skillet, add the diced onions, jalapeno pepper, and bell peppers, sauté over medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes to soften the veggies.
4. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
5. Then add the thinly sliced cabbage, and the remaining Base Ingredients (broth and water). Stir well, place the lid on the pan and cover and sauté/steam over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes to wilt the cabbage.
6. In the meantime, place all the Sauce Ingredients and the Sauce Spice/Herb Mix into a bowl, whisk well to combine the ingredients, then place into the skillet. Mix well and stir to incorporate all the ingredients.
7. Add the black beans, pinto beans, and corn, stir well, simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Create a cornstarch slurry by combining the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl, whisk to remove any lumps, then add to the skillet.Increase the heat, stir to thicken.  Cook for several minutes, then remove from the stove.
9. Place the crisp corn tortillas into a plastic bag and crush/break them into small pieces by using your hands (or quickly pulsing in a food processor).
10. Place 1 ½ cups of the crushed corn tortillas onto the bottom of a deep 9 x 13 casserole dish.Then add the cabbage skillet mixture, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of crushed tortillas on top.  (Optional:  Dot the top with pickled jalapeno slices).
11. Place into a preheated 350 F oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
12. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.Serve and enjoy!

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Notes

Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Serving:  6 to 8

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